MUST READ: Congress demands answers from Google over Glass privacy concerns

Topic: Android

BlueStacks and AMD bring Android apps to Windows

Summary: AMD and Bluestacks have announced a partnership to bring Android apps to Windows 7 and 8 PCs and tablets.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

By for Linux and Open Source |

bluestacks
Want to run Android apps on Windows PCs or tablets? AMD & Bluestacks makes it possible.

What do you get when you add applications from the most popular mobile operating system, Android, to the most popular desktop system, Windows? Well, many of you will soon have a chance to find out since BlueStacks, creator of a Windows app that enables you to run Android apps on Windows, has joined forces with AMD to bring their cross-platform application to AMD-powered tablets and PCs. 

AMD is also working with its partners to pre-load the the BlueStacks Android App Player on AMD-powered Windows 7 and 8 laptops, desktops, and tablets. If you don't want to wait for a new PC you can download the master Android on Windows app, AMD AppZone Player. Or, you can simply download an Android app  from the AMD AppZone and it  will automatically install the player in addition to the app.

Once installed, you can then download and run such popular Android programs as Battlefield 3, Adobe Premiere Elements, and Pulse from the AMD AppZone. The companies claim that this is the largest collection of Android apps for PCs. They also maintain that the AMD AppZone Player brings hundreds of thousands of Android apps to the next generation of Windows 8 based slates, laptops, tablets and AiO desktop PC, but at this time there are only a few dozen apps. in the store.

I presume this is because these Android applications have been optimized and vetted to work work well with Windows and AMD hardware. You can install other Android applications besides the ones in AMD AppZone. If you already have Android apps on your smartphone or tablet, you can also bring  them over to your Windows PC by using BlueStacks Cloud Connect. To do this, you'll need to click the AppZone Player's settings button and then Cloud Connect and follow the on-screen instructions.

The BlueStacks Android Player is also available for any Windows XP, 7 or 8 PC directly from BlueStacks. AMD claims though that their version of the program thanks to "the collaboration with BlueStacks with optimizations for AMD GPU and APU [accelerated processing unit] technology enables a superior experience on AMD-powered PCs."

In a statement, Manju Hegde, AMD's corporate VP of Heterogeneous Applications and Developer Solutions said, "AMD and BlueStacks are making the emerging Android market part of the broader PC ecosystem with the introduction of AppZone. With the new Windows 8 operating system just around the corner, we’re excited to enable exciting new solutions for our PC customers and end users to experience."

Looking ahead, Rosen Sharma, BlueStacks' CEO added, "App stores and apps represent a multi-billion dollar opportunity. BlueStacks powered business models are ready to disrupt the PC industry by leveraging the unprecedented growth in the mobile eco-system. By partnering with AMD, we are able to bring 500,000 apps to Windows 8 and the broader installed base of PCs. That’s significantly more apps than any existing PC app store including Intel AppUp or the Windows 8 App Store."

Creative Strategies president and analyst Tim Bajarin added in the statement, "This is the right move and a winning proposition for BlueStacks, AMD and for the entire PC ecosystem. Everyone is eagerly anticipating Windows 8, but consumers want a broad selection of familiar apps now. AMD and BlueStacks have addressed that in a big way."

While the idea of running Android apps On Windows PCs is interesting, Bajarin makes a more interesting strategic point. If Windows 8 tablet users can indeed just run Android apps what reason will there be for mobile developers have to spend time porting their applications to Windows 8 when they can kill two mobile OS birds with one programming stone?

Related Stories:

Topics: Android, Linux, Software Development, Tablets, PCs, Windows

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

33 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Windows 8 Pro tablets just became the Mac

    One of the Cupertino scripts that we see all the time is that because Macs are the only computers that can run Windows, OS X, and Linux (ignoring the fact that the only reason Dells can't run OS X is due to an arbitrary clause in Apple's EULA) that everyone should buy Macs.

    Well, this script cannon just got turned against Apple. Everyone should buy Windows 8 Pro tablets because it is the only tablet that can run Windows apps and Android apps. iPads can't.

    Kudos Microsoft, kudos AMD, kudos Google, kudos BlueStacks.
    toddbottom3
    Reply 2 Votes

    • I'm confused

      first of all, it's CANON (only one n in the middle) unless you're talking about the big gun that shoots cannonballs, which makes no sense in the context of your comment.
      And why are you giving kudos to Microsoft? They had nothing to do with it. They probably aren't even happy about it. Expect one of the first Windows 8 updates to be something that causes Bluestacks to quit working. They don't want somebody else horning in on their App business, any more than Apple does.
      Unusual1
      Reply 1 Vote

    • RE: Windows 8 Pro tablets just became the Mac

      toddbottom3 wrote:
      "One of the Cupertino scripts that we see all the time is that because Macs are the only computers that can run Windows, OS X, and Linux (ignoring the fact that the only reason Dells can't run OS X is due to an arbitrary clause in Apple's EULA) that everyone should buy Macs.

      Thanks for the laugh. Apple is laughing. IBM is laughing too (as they tie z/OS to their mainframe hardware). Psystar, however, is not laughing.

      - Back on-topic -
      Windows 8 Pro-based tablets will be targeted at the enterprise. It's been the iPad that has been accepted in many enterprises rather than Android-based tablets. Thus, most apps that would interest enterprises are in Apple's iOS app store and will not be available to Windows 8 Pro-based tablets (despite Apple's and Microsoft's co-operative mobile patent agreement).

      In addition, many Android apps are now available for the RIM Playbook tablet. Here's one example:

      http://goodereader.com/apps/playbook/playbook-android-apps/

      Has this helped RIM with its Playbook market share?
      Rabid Howler Monkey
      Reply Vote

    • Self Contradicting Point

      Not that I own a Mac (nor ever plan on getting one of those overpriced for beauty and incompatibility hardware), but if a Mac can already run Windows, what makes you think it can't run this Windows Application?

      Only effects on Crapple might be Mac OS X becomes less popular (and the "It Doesn't Get PC Viruses" Statement appears again) as pretty much everything in the MacStore is available to Android Tablets.
      MrElectrifyer
      Reply Vote

  • This is not good

    If Roxio or any developer can just make it on Android and hope that Windows tablet buyers install this, what's the incentive to bother with a Windows Native Version?
    Michael Alan Goff
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Because most don't bother to use things like this

      so if Roxio doesn't make a Windows 8 version they lose out. They also lose out on the underlying OS - If Windows 8 really is that much better then Android, then they won't be able to tap into that.

      What this also doesn't say is that this relies on the end user knowing, and wanting, to use this program from BlueStack.

      Roxio would have to have a lot of faith in the end user to use this program, a big risk whene looking at it from teh developer's perspective.
      William Farrel
      Reply Vote

      • And if they market it like mad?

        I'm not saying it will happen, I'm saying it could happen.

        I'm also saying I don't want it to happen.
        Michael Alan Goff
        Reply Vote

        • Sorry, I was looking at it from a typical end user standpoint

          which is not quite as techie as us.

          Yes, it would be a bad thing as users wouldn't get the full benefit of the Windows 8 OS, but at the same time my point was I doubt it would have much of an impact on developers at Roxio's level, or those with popular apps.
          William Farrel
          Reply Vote

      • Re: so if Roxio doesn't make a Windows 8 version they lose out.

        Interesting, because they don’t seem to be losing out so far...
        ldo17
        Reply 1 Vote

  • how its this hard?

    how is this hard.. that just about anyone couldn't do this. Android apps are java, so all they have to do is supply the missing libraries that will handle Android specific stuff correctly in Windows... seems like a pretty easy thing to do, but knowing your still using Java.
    doh123
    Reply 1 Vote

  • There are still lots of reasons to build native W8 apps.

    First this whole bluestacks emulator sounds like it wont run at all on W8RT tablets, W8RT ultrabooksand notebooks, and WP7.x and WP8 phones. Second there's zero reason to believe that as a W32 desktop app, that you wont be able to download from the W8 store, neither this thing nor the apps it'd run, are at all optimized for W8 and will chew through the battery. Third Im guessing it will incorporate enough of android and or some jre code that it will pose a high security risk. But the WRT/WP point alone in actuality makes Bajarin's point pretty asinine. But facts and logic didnt stop SJVN from buying into it hook, line, and sinker.
    Johnny Vegas
    Reply Vote

    • Security Risk?

      "First this whole bluestacks emulator sounds like it wont run at all on W8RT tablets, W8RT ultrabooksand notebooks, and WP7.x and WP8 phones."

      I completely agree.

      "Second there's zero reason to believe that as a W32 desktop app, that you wont be able to download from the W8 store, neither this thing nor the apps it'd run, are at all optimized for W8 and will chew through the battery."

      Well, I think it's more likely that they'll just run really slowly, which is just as bad.

      "Third Im guessing it will incorporate enough of android and or some jre code that it will pose a high security risk."

      How does that follow? Java's security issues are (pretty much) all related to its use as a web plugin, and the fact that you are running untrusted code, but the sandbox is not reliable. That doesn't mean anything for desktop Java apps since you're not running them in a sandbox in the first place. There haven't been much of any publicized security issues with Android. If you're thinking of Android malware, then you're talking about Trojans, which rely on the user giving them permission to do bad things rather than exploiting security weaknesses.
      CFWhitman
      Reply 1 Vote

      • My Symantec security software

        will not accept the BlueStacks download. This may change in the future but at least at this time it says to me there is a security issue.
        Timba1336
        Reply Vote

        • Symantec?

          My obvious question is why anybody is running Symantec? It failed to even pass the tests and make it into the VB100 reports.
          Laurentian Enterprises
          Reply 1 Vote

  • nothing is a simple as it seams

    Remember WINE? Haven't tried it for a long time, but it not 100% regardless of what the development team said. BlueStacks will have the same emulation issues.

    Works 90% or 95% of the time, but doesn't here and there. The here and there will be sufficient to irritate the end user and drive them away.

    If it were only perfect!
    Cynical99
    Reply Vote

    • there are definitely

      apps that won't work in bluestacks in my experience. also most apps run slow.
      theoilman
      Reply Vote

  • Not getting

    The appeal. android apps are not known to scale well on tablets, let alone on desktop screens. The real question would be why I would have to run a certain android app, as For every one android app, there are hundreds, if not thousands of win32 applications to choose from..
    sjaak327
    Reply Vote

    • If you have an Android tablet...

      Some people might be using an Android device, and may be apprehensive about switching to a new tech environment. Letting the user run Android apparently on Windows would mitigate this somewhat (depending on how well the emulation works).

      Of course, there is a potential issue with developers not bothering to make Win8 or WinRT apparently, but given how ubiquitous Windows has been, I don't foresee this being a problem.
      Third of Five
      Reply Vote

  • Inte-based Asus laptop (just bought) came with Bluestacks on board

    Win7 laptop, bought a couple months ago, lowest-end Asus laptop available (without being a netbook) ... already had Bluestacks on board. Works all right for most apps.

    I've got this hankering to get an Android remote access app, to RDP into a work server, and on that server install Bluestacks and run the same app to RDP back to laptop -- see if the universe explodes or a bunch of Mayans jump out of the woodwork chanting or something ...
    daboochmeister
    Reply Vote

    • Meant "Intel", sorry

      .
      daboochmeister
      Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close